Deformable image registration phantom comprising a housing, an outer cylinder, a parallel eccentric inner cylinder rotatably mounted within the outer cylinder, a ball and socket mount, and a target mounted to the housing

Abstract

A deformable image registration phantom having a housing, an outer cylinder, a parallel eccentric inner cylinder, a ball and socket mount, and a target. The inner cylinder is rotatably mounted within the outer cylinder and the target is rotatably mounted, directly or indirectly, within the inner cylinder. Indexing detents are positioned on at least one of the housing, the outer cylinder, the inner cylinder, and the ball and socket mount and one or more detent pins positioned on another. The indexing detents are arranged about at least one rotational or translational axis of the phantom and the detent pins are configured to releasably engage with the indexing detents as the components of the phantom rotate or translate relative to one another.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A deformable image registration phantom, comprising:
 a housing,   an outer cylinder having a first diameter,   a parallel eccentric inner cylinder having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter,   a ball and socket mount;   a target mounted to the housing by way of the outer cylinder, the parallel eccentric inner cylinder, and the ball and socket mount;   a plurality of indexing detents positioned on at least a first component selected from a group consisting of the housing, the outer cylinder, the parallel eccentric inner cylinder, and the ball and socket mount; and   one or more detent pins positioned on at least a second component selected from the group consisting of the housing, the outer cylinder, the parallel eccentric inner cylinder, and the ball and socket mount;   wherein the plurality of indexing detents is arranged about at least one rotational or translational axis of the deformable image registration phantom, and the one or more detent pins are configured to releasably engage with the plurality of indexing detents as the first component and the second component rotate or translate relative to one another;   wherein the parallel eccentric inner cylinder is rotatably mounted within the outer cylinder, and   wherein the target is rotatably mounted directly or indirectly within the parallel eccentric inner cylinder.   
     
     
         2 . The deformable image registration phantom of  claim 1 , wherein the ball and socket mount is rotatably mounted within the housing, and the ball and socket mount has a key extending from the ball and socket mount that fits within a complementary-shaped keyway in the housing, and wherein the key is limited to a movement within the complementary-shaped keyway in a rotational pitch axis of the deformable image registration phantom. 
     
     
         3 . The deformable image registration phantom of  claim 2 , wherein the housing has a base with a rotating platform that rotates in a yaw rotational axis of the deformable image registration phantom, and wherein the ball and socket mount is mounted on the rotating platform. 
     
     
         4 . The deformable image registration phantom of  claim 3 , wherein at least some of the plurality of indexing detents are positioned about a perimeter of the parallel eccentric inner cylinder, and wherein at least one of the one or more detent pins is positioned to engage with the plurality of indexing detents positioned about the perimeter of the parallel eccentric inner cylinder. 
     
     
         5 . The deformable image registration phantom of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one of the one or more detent pins positioned to engage with the plurality of indexing detents positioned about the perimeter of the parallel eccentric inner cylinder comprises three detent pins, wherein the plurality of indexing detents positioned about the perimeter of the parallel eccentric inner cylinder are arranged in three rings, each ring comprising 120 indexing detents arranged at 3° increments, wherein each of the three detent pins are positioned over one of the three rings, and wherein indexing detents in each of the three rings are offset from indexing detents in each of the other rings, such that one indexing detent about the perimeter of the parallel eccentric inner cylinder is positioned at every degree increment about the perimeter of the parallel eccentric inner cylinder. 
     
     
         6 . The deformable image registration phantom of  claim 4 , wherein at least some of the plurality of indexing detents are positioned about a perimeter of the outer cylinder, and wherein at least one of the one or more detent pins are positioned on the ball and socket mount to engage with the plurality of indexing detents positioned about the perimeter of the outer cylinder. 
     
     
         7 . The deformable image registration phantom of  claim 6 , wherein at least some of the plurality of indexing detents are positioned within the complementary-shaped keyway, and wherein at least one of the one or more detent pins are positioned on the key to engage with the plurality of indexing detents positioned within the complementary-shaped keyway. 
     
     
         8 . The deformable image registration phantom of  claim 7 , wherein at least some of the plurality of indexing detents are positioned on the rotating platform, and wherein at least one of the one or more detent pins is positioned on the base to engage with the plurality of indexing detents positioned on the rotating platform. 
     
     
         9 . A deformable image registration phantom comprising:
 a housing;   one or more components that move rotationally or translationally relative to the housing or another one of the one or more components;   a target mounted to the housing by way of the one or more components;   a plurality of indexing detents positioned on at least a first component selected from a group consisting of the housing and the one or more components; and   one or more detent pins positioned on at least a second component selected from the group consisting of the housing and the one or more components;   wherein the plurality of indexing detents is arranged about at least one rotational or translational axis of the deformable image registration phantom, and the one or more detent pins are configured to releasably engage with the plurality of indexing detents as the first component and the second component rotate or translate relative to one another;   wherein the one or more components are rotatably or translatably mounted within the housing, and   wherein the target is rotatably or translatably mounted directly or indirectly within the one or more components.